


Not a Wise Man

by subcircus



Category: Highlander: The Raven, Highlander: The Series
Genre: Community: hlh_shortcuts, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 07:10:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3125558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/subcircus/pseuds/subcircus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cory Raines arrives in Paris</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not a Wise Man

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Raine_Wynd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raine_Wynd/gifts).



"Why am I doing this again?" Nick opined from the floor, where he found himself for the fourth time in an hour. 

Amanda was straddling his chest, a knowing smile on her face, and Nick had to admit that he didn't mind the view. 

"Because, cookie, much as I try to keep you out of my affairs, you have a very advanced case of White Knight Syndrome. Possibly the worst case I've seen," she paused for a second, looking thoughtful. "Second worst. And if you insist on continuing to meddle, I need to know that you are fully prepared. Now, again."

She stood and stepped aside so Nick could get up. Once he'd found his feet, she walked to a switch on the wall and flicked it. Nick took a deep breath and held it for a moment to compose himself.

"Walk me through it," Amanda instructed.

"Motion sensor on the wall there and there," he answered, pointing to the sensors in question. "If triggered, the guard responds in thirty seconds. Pressure plate around the pillar, and on top, underneath the object. If triggered the guard responds in thirty seconds. Heat sensors in the glass covering the object. If triggered the guard responds in thirty seconds. Laser grid in the area immediately above the pillar and three feet around the object. If triggered the guard responds in thirty seconds."

Amanda nodded. 

"And?"

"And?! C'mon Amanda, who the hell has this kind of security?"

"I based this training room on the most challenging security system I ever defeated," Amanda replied with a sniff. 

"Fine. There's... Er..." Nick looked around the room for any signs of any alarm trigger he could have missed. Finally he slumped his shoulders in defeat. "I can't see anything else."

"The guard makes rounds every thirty minutes," Amanda answered with a sly smile. "And you just wasted five."

"That's it, I've had it," he declared, turned around and walked out of the room, setting off flashing red lights. 

He walked up from the basement where Amanda had installed her training rooms. She referred to them as the pleasuredome. Nick preferred to think of them as the nine circles of hell. But he had to admit, he had learned a lot down there.

As he neared the ground floor, he felt the presence of another Immortal. Even though the bar was Holy Ground, Nick knew that a decade in the Game was nothing in the life of Immortals so he couldn't help feeling nervous. He was relieved when he saw the familiar form of Father Liam Riley stood by the bar.

"Good morning, Nick," he said with a smile.

"Hey, Liam. What brings you wandering from your parish?" he asked as he walked over.

"I have some news for Amanda."

"And I thought you wanted the pleasure of my company," Nick said with a passable impression of Amanda's pout. "She's downstairs," he added and nodded in the direction of the stairs.

"Thanks. You still coming to shoot some hoops later?" Liam said as he headed towards the stairs.

"You not had enough humiliation for one lifetime?"

"I might surprise you. Maybe I've been lulling you into a false sense of security all this time," the priest replied with a smile. Nick grinned.

"Should I be worried?" he asked, inclining his head towards the stairs and the Immortal below.

"That depends. An old boyfriend of Amanda's is in town."

"MacLeod?" 

Liam shook his head.

"No. This one tends to bring out Amanda's more...frivolous nature," he explained.

"And by frivolous I assume you mean larcenous."

"It has been known, yes. Back in the twenties the two of them gave Bonnie and Clyde a run for their money. But Cory isn't a bad man, he never killed a mortal and he never keeps much of the loot for himself," Liam added hurriedly.

"A real Robin Hood," Nick said, his tone cynical. Liam laughed.

"Funny you should mention that..." he said enigmatically.

"You have got to be joking!"

Liam just shrugged. Any further discussion was cut off as they felt the approach of Amanda. When she reached the top of the stairs and spotted Liam she smiled widely and opened her arms.

"Liam, darling! It's not like you to pop by. What can we do for you?"

Liam politely and demurely kissed Amanda on both cheeks before answering.

"Cory is in town. Thought you should know."

"And he didn't call?" Amanda pouted. Then she bit her lip and looked thoughtful, almost abashed. "You don't think he's still upset about..."

"Duncan blowing him up?" Liam provided helpfully.

Amanda forced a chuckle and waved her hand as if dismissing the thought.

"Exactly. Cory wouldn't let a little thing like that get between us. Besides, it was all Mac and Richie's idea, I was an innocent bystander," she said.

"You. Innocent?" Nick remarked. Amanda slapped him playfully. 

"Why, detective Wolfe, it's as if you know me."

Nick smiled and shook his head fondly. For such an ancient Immortal, Amanda could be very immature sometimes. No, not immature, naive though. It had taken him a while to realise that, but when he did he was finally able to forgive her for killing him. As insane as it seemed to him, he knew she had meant it with the best intentions but, in true Amanda fashion, she hadn't fully thought about the consequences. Sounded like this was another example of that and he hoped she was right about Cory not holding a grudge.

His cellphone began to ring at that moment, so he stepped away from the others to take the call. On the other end was the head of an auction house that had hired Nick's firm to provide security for a very rare and valuable lot in their next sale. The man spoke very rapidly in French, but Nick pieced together enough of what he was saying.

"Calm down please, monsieur, nothing was taken...Yes, yes, but... They are my best..." Nick sighed."I'll be there soon."

He hung up and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Sorry, Liam, I'll have to raincheck our game. We have work," he added to Amanda. "The auction house was broken into last night. Tell me it's a coincidence that this happens while this Cory is in town."

"Complete coincidence. Cory has always robbed money lenders. An auction house isn't his style," she answered, a note of disdain in her voice.

"Oh, really?"

"Really. And I'll prove it to you when we find who really broke into that place." She moved to stand right in front of Nick and placed a hand on his chest. "After which, you will owe me a very big apology."

She smiled seductively at him, letting him know exactly what form she expected the apology to take. Then she turned on her heel and walked out. Nick watched her go with a look of fond exasperation.

"How many more boyfriends are there?" he wondered aloud. He intended it as rhetorical, but Liam answered him anyway.

"Oh Nick, my dear friend. Amanda is 12 centuries old," he said. "A wise man wouldn't ask."

"Yeah, that's true," Nick said as he grabbed his coat to follow Amanda. "But I'm clearly not a wise man."


End file.
